For those who did not read the comments by Paizo staff elsewhere (and some of the comments above make that clear), they have said the following:
- The $35 was the cheapest they could make it and still put everything in it that they wanted.
- The box is very deep and loaded with stuff. Paizo predicts people will feel they got their money's worth. (For what its worth, the loaded Warhammer Fantasy starter box was priced at $100)
- The game in the box, though somewhat simplified, is fully compatible with the fuller version. People will be able to use the box and its content to make a character for use in the Pathfinder Society games, which seems to me like the way to go.
- The box contents are not fully finalized but dice are very, very likely.